Their
Two Worlds Couldn't Be Further Apart.
Can Anything Bridge the Divide Between Them?

For years Zane Beck and his Amish neighbor Lila Lehman were best of friends.
But just as Zane gathered the courage to discover if their friendship could
develop into something more, her controlling father arranged for her to be
courted by their bishop's son. Zane, heartbroken and frustrated, joined the
Army, running away from his shattered dreams.

The passing of time and the distance between Zane and Lila haven't been enough
to halt their--now completely hidden--feelings for each other. Any hope for
their love grows even more impossible though as Zane's service takes a
dangerous turn when he's deployed to Afghanistan. Being on the frontline,
confronted with the hard choices of war, has him questioning everything,
including whether he can continue to serve or not. But all choices have
consequences, and with Lila preparing to marry another, will these one-time
sweethearts ever find the life together that they both still long for?

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MY THOUGHTS

Amish Sweethearts is the second book of Leslie Gould's Neighbors of Lancaster County series. Amish Promises, Book 1 was well written and a favorite of mine in the Amish fiction genre. Therefore, I looked forward to reading book 2 with similar expectations - understanding the divide and community between the Englisch and the Amish, a lovely romance between the two cultures, and a faith element that ties into both worlds. I'm glad to say, it meets my expectations.

What we have with Amish Sweethearts, is a standalone novel of the next generation from book 1. We see the same characters, but this time, our main focus is the once little Zane and Lila we meet in Amish Promises, all grown up, and finally able to see and feel the mutual love and attraction they have for each other. The only thing is, one is Amish, the other Englisch. Will they be able to conquer what misgivings they have of each others' cultures, and misunderstandings of each others' feelings to come together?

Well written, well versed and well presented in all aspects of the Amish culture, the military aspect and the familial relations between the characters. And with mention of the military, I must commend Leslie in bringing in an intimate account of soldiers and how faith and common good brings forth healing of the heart. Characters are further developed, but I felt there could be more with the secondary characters, which are very possible further on in the series. Interactions between Lila and Zane are few and far from pleasant, but through their internal thoughts, we can see the love that sparked happened through their years as childhood buddies to best friends as they aged. A pleasant and enjoyable second book.

NOTE: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher, Bethany House for an honest review.

TO PURCHASE A COPY

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Leslie
Gould is the author of the bestselling Courtships of Lancaster County
series and co-author, with Mindy Starns Clark, of the #1 bestselling The
Amish Midwife. She holds an MFA in creative writing from Portland State
University and has taught fiction writing at Multnomah University as an adjunct
professor. She resides with her family in Portland, Oregon.

CONVERSATION

1 comments:

Oh, for more reading time, Annie! Leslie Gould is an author I've been wanting to try, and your thoughts on this book have only increased that desire. I'm pretty sure I will enjoy Leslie's writing. Thanks for sharing.